Sorry mama, you are awesome for pushing through this though I do know what you are talking about with a hole I think, I classified it as a crack but on one it was deep and bleeding and so painful when she nursed or even when it rubbed on the pads or my bra. I had to just grit my teeth and bear it. I will say that there is a light at the end of the tunnel and it does get better and so worth it in the end. In the mean time maybe seek a lactation consultant to get any tips you can and lather on the lanolin. Also, our midwife strongly suggested going outside and sitting in the sun topless if you have somewhere you can do this.

Have you gotten anything for your nipples? Like Newman's All-Purpose Nipple Ointment (APNO)? It can help with healing but of course the contact and bad latch are really what needs to be improved, an ointment can't help if the baby keeps damaging the breast.

I said it on the April board, too, but I thought the same thing about Ezra. On day three I was sitting at my computer, crying, baby in my lap, watching videos on "how to latch," and cripes, I have been a breastfeeding counselor for 9 years and breastfed three other babies successfully! I just felt like I wasn't doing it right and I couldn't get him to open his mouth wide enough. Before watching the videos I tried everything, the nipple flicking, where you point it up like it was mentioned, so it pops into his mouth, dragging the nipple over his nose and down, trying to get a good, deep, asymmetrical latch, the teacup hold -- everything I could think of and I still couldn't make it any better.

I really think it's not a matter of him not doing it right, it's his mouth full of issues. His high palate makes it so he doesn't sense the breast and he doesn't close around it. His tight labial frenulum makes it so he can't flange his upper lip over the breast. His posterior tongue tie makes it so he can't properly work his tongue to painlessly milk the breast. I think simply addressing one of the issues alone won't fix the problem, it is a triumverate of problems and I keep saying I need to take him to a specialist about 80 minutes away (but who has the time, sheesh).

I can't tell if he suddenly has gotten fussier, or if it's because he wants to nurse more (high-appetite day?) and I am sore and really don't want to nurse him at every whim...we are both grouchy about it.